Happy Birthday Tara’s Busy Kitchen & Other Stories! Can you believe that it’s been three years since I first put pen to paper so to speak? I couldn’t possibly celebrate a birthday without cake and this Banana and Jujube Fruit Cake with a Honey and Walnut Glaze fits the bill very well in my eyes.
Jujube fruit I hear you say. What’s that you ask? Well, it’s a new discovery for me too. Jujube otherwise known as red date, Korean date or Chinese date is a member of the buckthorn family. Like dates, jujube fruit are loaded with energy, essential vitamins and minerals. They have been linked with insomnia treatment, have anti-cancer abilities and are known for having a calming and soothing effect on the body so great for combatting stress in our busy schedules.
- 175g softened butter, plus extra for the tin
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 100g dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 tbsp clear honey
- 2 overripe bananas, about 350g with skins on
- 100g Jujube Fruit (red date)
- 50g chopped walnuts
- For the glaze
- 2 tbsp clear honey
- 25g butter
- 50g chopped walnuts
- Dried Jujube fruit for sprinkling (optional)
- Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and line a loaf tin. Put the flour, cinnamon, butter, sugar, eggs and honey in a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Mash the bananas and chop the jujube fruit. Stir into the cake mix with the walnuts. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 55-65 minutes until firm to the touch and a skewer or knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. If after this time the knife doesn't come out clean cover the cake in foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
- To make the glaze, put the honey and butter in a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts. Leave to cool until it has thickened a little. Spoon over the top of the cake, sprinkle with dried Jujube fruit and leave to set.